Type-writing machine.



B.G.LATTA. TYPE WRITINGv MACHINE. 'APPLICATION FILED DBU.11, 1909.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

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TYPE WRITING MACHINE. v APPLICATION FILED 1130.11, 1909.

Patented Sept. 17,1912.

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E. G. LATTA. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APrLIoATIoN Hmm 11150.11, 19091 Patented sept. 17, 1912.

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EMMI'T G'. LATTA, orv sYaAcUsE, NEW YORK; Assronoa or ONE-HALF TOVHARVEY A.

1 MOYER, or sYnAcUsE, NEW YORK.'

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specication of Letterslatent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

Application led December -11, 1909. Serial No. 532,530.

' To all whom it may concern:

useful Improvement. in Type-VVriting Ma# Be it known that I, EMMIT G. LATTA, a citizen of `the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York,^have invented a new and trame, upon which the carriage is mountedand is guided 1n its horizontal travel, can be det-ached' from the main frame of the ma- 'chine without disturbing the ribbon or its vibrating mechanism and without disconnecting the lifting spring fo-r the carriage and shiftframe; also to reduce the friction and wear in the carriage guide by supporting at least a portion of the weight of the carriage independentl of the shift frame; also to support the i bon vibrator and its guide so that it shifts with the shift frame and carriage wit-hout being mounted o-n the shift frame; .also to provide a central'line gage that sh1fts wit-h the shift frame and carriage; yand also to improve the shifting support for the carri ages of typewriting machines in other respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets: Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation of a type- Writing machine embodying the inventiva. Fig. 2 is a `rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a Vfront elevation of the carriage-supporting frame. Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryl longitudinal sectional elevation of a slightly modified construction. Fig. 6 is a similar view of another modification. Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof omitting the carriager Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several gures.

A represents the top plate ofl the main frame of the machine; B the platen; C the platen carriage vand c the spring driving drum therefor; D the shift frame on which tithe carriage is mounted to travel horizontally transversely of the machine, and which is pivoted so that it can swing vertically for v.shifting the platen from one to another of its different printing positions; E the rib- 'bon which asses from one to the other of two 'spools ocated at the opposite sides of ribbon vibrator or guide for vibrating t-he ribbon to and-from printing position between the type and the platen; G the carriage escapement; and H the universal bar operating the carriage escapement vand the ribbon vibrator. In the machine illustrated, these parts are constructed and arranged as in the Moyer typewriter. Preferably the carriage has a scale bar c" at its lower front portion provided on its `front face with a graduated scale, and slides in antifriction or rl`he shift frame ,is hinged to posts ci rising from the opposite sides of the rear portion ofthe top plate by adjustable pivots d', and is shifted from one 'to another of its different positions by -a cam lever or device Z2 (operated manually by means not shown) and engaging a roller d3 journaled on the The universal bar H consists of a rock shaft jiournaled in bearings depending from the top plateA'.

The weight of the carriage and shiftframe is borntgyat least in part, by an auxiliary spring-sustained frame or support I, 'which is preferably located under the shift framer and piv'oted to the main frame coin cidently witli-"thepivotal axis of the shift frame and carries a bearing device on which the carriage rests, whereby the carriage rguide onthe shift frame is relieved of more or less of the weight of the carriage.

which is actuated at the-type strokes for front central portion of the shift frame.-

the front portion of the top plate; F the ball bearing guides c2 on the shift frame.

'In the construction shown in Figs. 1 4,

the auxiliary frame has upwardly and rearwardly extending arms z' hinged by adjustable pivotsz" to posts i2 rising from the top plate A between the pivot posts for the shift frame, and a roller K suitably jour naled4 on a central forward extension of the fra-me projects through an opening in the shift frame and bears against the fiat un derside of the carriage between its guide tracks. lCne ofthe arms of the auxiliary frame is shaped, as shown, to pass to the rear of the escapement and clear the spring '2 manine drum c, the other arm being similarly shaped for the sake of symmetry. lt isnot absolutely essential to pivot the auxiliary frame coincidently with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, as stated, but this is preferable, as thereby there will be no transverse movementof the bearing roller on the carriage and consequently no sliding friction between these parts in the up and down movements of the roller with the shift frame. The bearing roller is caused to eX- ert an upward or lifting pressure on the carriage preferably by a pair of tension coil springs L located lin a cavity in the rear portion of the auxiliary frame or support and connected at opposite ends to studs or parts Z on the top plate A and to a plate or partZ of the auxiliary frame. The plate Z to which the springs are attached is preferably slotted and adjustablyV secured t'o the auxiliary frame by a screw' l? for regulating the lifting action of the springs. y

The ribbon guide or vibrator.F reciprocates in aniuprlght guide M and is actuated bye'l vibrator lever N connected to the universal ,bar H. These parts may be of the constructionheretofore used in thev Moyer machine, or of other suitable construction, but the ribbon viorator and it-s guide -M and the vibrator lever N are in the preferred A construction, shown in Figs. l-L, -mounted on the auxiliary frame or support I instead of on the shift frame, as heretofore. As shown, the guide M has a forked lower end secured by Vscrews m to the forked front end of the auxiliary frame and the lower end of vthe virbr'ator passes down between these forked parts and is pivoted to the front end of the vibrator lever N, the vibrator and its 'guide having openings through which the scale bar c can be seen. The Vibrator lever N is pivoted at In, in a slot in the auxiliary `frame, and is connected, as usual, by a link n to an arm n2 on the universal bar H, which has another arm n3 connected by a link n4 to the carriage escapement. The

link n4 for actuating the escapement passes between the springs L and through the slot in the spring `plate Z and a registering slot in the auxiliary frame. .By thus mounting .the ribbon vibrator and its guide and actuating leier `on the auxiliary frame, the shift frame and carriage can be dismounted from the machine Without disturbing any part of theribbon mechanism. This is a great improvenient over prior constructions in which the Vibrator is mounted on the shift frame and its actuating means are located under the shift frame, as in such an arrangement the ribbon must be detached from the vibrator and the link n disconnected before the shift frame can be removed.

Tension coil springs, connected at opposite` ends to the auxiliary and main frames, are used to'ayoid sliding friction between thein and the parts on which they act. ln constructions in which the springs act directly on the shift frame,v such springs are objectionable for the reason that they also must be disconnected at one end or the other 7@ in order to dismount the shift frame, but by the employment of the auxiliary frame or support this objection is overcome and the shift frame with the carriage can be detached withoutdisconnecting the springs.

'While a pair of springs arranged as described is desirable, one or more springs of the same or a different kind could he used.

By the described construct-ion, the shift, frame can be removed and replaced withouty in any way disturbing the ribbon mecha.- 'nism or the carriage lifting springs, and it' is much easier t0 assemble the ribbon mecha; nism and connect the parts to the universal bar with the small auxiliary frame than if Ag5 they were connected to the larger shiftframe, as the shift frame is not in the Vway at such time. Furthermore, the ribbon driving or feeding mechanism not shown), as well as the auxiliary frame with the vibrating mechanism, are mounted on. the top plate, so that the entire ribbon mechanism can be assembledon thetop plate and adjusted before the top plate is connected to the main frame of the machine, and before the shift frame is mounted, all of which materially assists in assembling the machine.

` The springs can be adjusted so that they will bear the entire. weight of the carriage,

leaving the weight of the shift frame vto return the shift frame and carriage togtheir, normal lower posit-ion when the shift key` is released after shifting the carriage to its upper position: or the springs can be arijusted to bear less than the weight of the carriage in order to getaquicker return to the normal position; or they can be tensioned to cause them, acting through the roller and the carriage, -to assist in lifting the shiftframe also, vin order to lessenthe exertion of shifting the carriage rather than to obtain speed. The spring-sustained auxiliary frame o r supportacts to relieve the ball bearing carriage-guide vfrom considerable wear and from shock and' consequent wear 'when the carriage returns from 'shifted to normal position. The auxiliary frame or support practically supports the weightl of the Carriage, learing the guide bearings to guide the carriageto and fro in its proper course with less wear and longer life 'than if the auxiliary frame or support was not used. e Y

O represents a short scale and line gage which is secured to the vibrator guide M and has a central opening for the L* of the type-bars and ribbon to the pia' Y- As the guide M is mounted on. the auiziliary. fi. me, the line gage moves with the when is shifted and always reti ments of the carriage.

, balls p and has lips same'position directly under the line being printed. The upper edge of the gage afl fords` a line by which the4 paper can be properly' adjusted, and the center of its opening indicates the point Where the next impression will be made. The gage presses against the paper on lthe platen, but it is made of spring metal and can yield to permit a number of sheets to pass it, and as it shifts With-the platen it-has no tendency to displace the paper during the shifting move- In the modified construction shown in Fig. 5, the guide M for the vibrator F is supported by the shift frame D insteadof by the auxiliary frame, but the'vibrator lever @51s pivoted on' the auxiliary frame I as before explained., In this construction the lower end of the vibrator is bent to engage in a notch in the front end-of the vibrator'lever, or it may be otherwise connected thereto so to be readily disconnected from the lever when detaching the shift frame.-

figs. 6 and 7 show a construction in which ball bearings are employed between theauxiliaryframe andthe carriage in place of the roller before described. The shift frame D2 has a central opening about one-half as long as the shift frame andcarriage, and the auxiliary frame I2 has laterall arms forming a bar nearly as long as the opening. in the shift frame. This bar and'the car.

rlage are preferably provided with 'grooves formin a race 7a2 for a pair of balls K2 on which t e carriage bears, but the grooves can be omitted and preferably are if the auxiliary frame is not pivoted coincidently with the shift'frame. A sheet metal ball retainer P is shown having openings for the balls K2 and also for the balls p of thecarriage guide.

The ball retainer, as the shift frame,

which is about half as long is suspended on the guide f to prevent the displacement of bearing alls K2 when the shift frame isdetached, and in case that the auxiliary frame is accidentally depressed at any time. A pin p2 on the auxiliary frame, entering a slot in the ball retainer, limits the travel of the retainer so as to prevent the balls K2 from running over the ends of the auxiliary frame. This construction is some- What heavier' and more'expensive than that first described-.but is otherwise more desirable.` Still other forms of. antifricti'on bearings for the carriage could be used on the auxiliary frame. I

The mounting of the ribbon vibrating mechanism on Ia support which is independent of the `shift frame but shifts therewith is de` y sirable Whether or not this support also scrvcs as a support for the carriage, and the direct auxiliary support for the carriage m desirable Whether or not it carries the ribbon vibrating mechanism, and the inventionis the carriage,

as to enable the vibratorv tuated support .therefore not confined to the use of both of actuated by a Weight insteadof by a spring,

but the spring is preferred.'

I claim as my invention:

1: In' a typewriting'- machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame for and an auxiliary support Which exerts a lifting action directly on the carriage, substantialy as set forth. l

2. In a typeWriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame on which the carriage is guided in its horizontal travel, and an auxiliary support which exerts a lifting action on'the .carriage independently of the shift frame, substantially as set forth.

3. In a'typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, and an auxiliary spring-actuated support which exerts a lifting action onthe carriage independently of the shift frame, substantially as set forth.'

4. In a typewriting machine, t-he combination of a platencarriage, a shift frame for the carriage, andan auxiliary spring-acprovided with an antifriction carriage bears, subbearing on Which thestantially as set forth.

5. In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a vtrack acting to guide thecarriage in its horizontal travel and which is movable for shifting the car riage, and an independent auxiliary support which relieves the carriagetrack of at least 'a portion of the weight of the carriage, substantially as set forth.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, an antifriction track acting to guide the carriage in its horlzontal4 travel, and an independent springsupported antifriction bearing for the carriage, substantially as set forth. V

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, means for shifting the shift frame and the carriage, and a spring-actuated auxiliary support which acts directly on the carriage to assistt the shifting movement of the shift frameand the carriage, substantially as set forth;

In a typewriting machme, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame on which the carriage is mounted and 'guided in its` horizontal travel, and an auxiliary support which moves with but is inde endent of the shift frame and exerts a llfting action directly on the carriage, substantially as set forth.

9.v In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a pivoted shift frame on which the carriage is mounted and actuated auxiliary pivoted support arranged Bee-a Mantiene corr gat the side of the shift frame opposite to that on which ,the platen is mounted and having a"bearing for the carriage, substantially as set forth.

5 10; In4 a typewriting machine, the com-' binaton of a p aten carriage, a pivoted shift frame for the carriage, and an auxilii. y sup.

` ort which is pivoted substantially on the .givtal axis of the shift frame and exerts a j lifting action' on' the carriage independently f'the shift frame, substantially as set forth.` 12. In'a typewritingvnachine, the comy bination ofja platen carriage, a pivoted shift 1 frame lfor the carriage having separated pivotal supports, and an' auxiliary support Which'is pivoted between the pivotal sup- Orts. for the shift frame and exerts a lift--y L ingaction on the carriage independently of the shift frame, substantiallyva's set forth.

13.111 a typewriting I'nachine,l thecom-V bination of 'a' platen carriage, a shift frame having a track for guiding the carriage in its horizontal travel, an auxiliary support independent of the shift frame, and an antifriction bearing between the carriage and the auxiliary support for supporting the carriage, substantially as set forth.

A 14. Ina typewriting machine, the combination 0f a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage having a limited movement, means for moving the shift frame, a second frame having an antifrictional bearing on the carriage independently of the shift frame, and an adjustable spring acting to force -the antifriction bearing against the carriage, substantially as set forth.

15. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a pair of frames pivoted-substantially on the same axial line,

'Copies of this patent may be obtained for means operable at Will for moving one of said frames to shift the carriage, and a.

for the carriage, an independent Aspring-v actuated supporting frame for the carriage, and means for regulating the action -ofthe spring-actuated frame, the shift framevand the carriage being detachable from the machine Without disturbing. the spring-acthated frame, substantially as set forth.

17. In a typewriting machine, the 4binatlon of a platen carr1age,fa shift frame for the carriage, an independent frame Which supports at least a portion of the Weight of the carriage` and an adjustable helical actuating spring connected to the independent frame, substantially as setforth; l

18. In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a platencarriage, a shift frame for thevcarriage, a separateiframe which supports at least a portion of the Weight o f the carriage, a helical actuating'spring,connected to the independent fram and means on the spring frame for adjusting the tension of t-he spring, substantially as set forth.

19. In a typewriting machine, the combination 0f a platen carriage, a shift frame f for the carriage, an auxiliary support for the carriage which is independent of but shifts ivith the shift frame, and a line gage mounted on the auxiliary support, substantially as set forth. f

20.1n a typewriting machine,r the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, a spring-actuated auxiliary support for the carriage independent of the shift frame, and a line gage mounted-on theV auxiliary support, substantially as set forth.

`Witness my hand, this 6th day ofv Decemv ber, 1909.

v l EMMIT Gr. LATTA.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. REID, CHESTER W. REID.

ve cents euh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 5 

